I just read an interesting post on the At Home in Tuscany blog. In it the author addressed a decision by Grantourismo couple (and local travel supporters) Lara Dunston and Terry Carter to stay in Puglia. I’m not qualified enough on Italy to comment on this but the author wrote:
Of all the hidden gems for foreigners, they had chosen the least hidden and the type of accommodation that I am quite sure is the least popular among the locals.
Lara was quick to respond and made some good points. I’ll let you catch up on that exchange on the post itself.
Photo from Going Local Travel
The general idea did get me thinking though. Going off the beaten track is great, but it can also be interesting to go to the big tourist spots and try to see them from a new perspective. In some cases, the more ‘established’ a place is, the easier it is to get off track. Many people visiting these spots often follow an established chain of ‘things to do’ and aren’t always the most imaginative of travellers. You can often find all sorts of things off the main drag in a touristy town.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stephen Chapman. Stephen Chapman said: Going local in a tourist hotspot http://bit.ly/90jFiv by @vickybaker [...]
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